WAR DANCE. 
29 3 
except on some very particular and solemn oc¬ 
casion. The chiefs and w arriors who are about 
to join in this dance,, dress and paint themselves 
as if actually out on a w arlike expedition, and 
they carry in their hands their warlike wea¬ 
pons. Being assembled, they seat themselves 
down on their hams, in a circle, round a great 
fire, near to which is placed a large post; after 
remaining a short time in this position, one of 
the principal chiefs rises, and placing himself 
in the centre, begins to rehearse, in a sort of 
recitative, all the gallant actions which he has 
ever performed; he dwells particularly on the 
number of enemies he has killed, and describes 
the manner in which he scalped them, making 
gestures all the time, and brandishing his wea- 
pons,as if actually engaged in performing the 
horrid operation. At the end of every re¬ 
markable story he strikes his war club on the 
post with great fury. Every chief and war¬ 
rior tells of his deeds in turn. The song of 
one warrior often occupies several hours, and 
the dance itself sometimes lasts for three or 
four entire days and nights. During this pe¬ 
riod no one is allowed to sleep, a person who 
stands at the outside of the circle being ap¬ 
pointed (whose business it is) to rouse any 
warrior that appears in the least drowsy. A 
deer, a bear, or some other large animal, is put 
to roast at the fire as soon as the dance begins. 
